Captured: Giles Lane, left, appears to cry out while his Australian companion (right) looks on
Posted on 01/15/2008 7:43:41 PM PST by Stoat
This is the moment a British anti-whaling activist was taken captive on a Japanese harpoon ship.
Giles Lane appears to be crying out in pain as the sailors surround him and bind him.
In the dramatic pictures his companion, an Australian, is wrapped around with rope and seems powerless to help.
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Captured: Giles Lane, left, appears to cry out while his Australian companion (right) looks on
Colleagues of the pair in the Sea Shepherd marine protection organisation claim they were later tied to the radar mast in the freezing cold as the vessel sped from the area in the Antarctic.
"They have assaulted and kidnapped two of my crew," said Captain Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd vessel Steve Irwin.
The Japanese Whaling Association last night denied the men had been tied to the mast, but admitted they were being held on board the Yushin Maru.
A spokesman claimed that Mr Lane, 36, from Cuckfield, in West Sussex, and Australian Benjamin Potts had boarded the ship illegally and intended to entangle the vessel's propellers with rope and throw bottles of acid on the decks.
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Sea spray: The Yushin Maru crew turn a high pressure hose on the men as they approach
The sensational confrontation came hours after an Australian court banned Japan from whaling in its Antarctic waters.
The ruling applies to a sanctuary declared by Australia in 2000 - which Japan does not recognise.
Some of its ships are already in the area for a planned cull of 1,000 fin and minke whales for "scientific research".
When crew members on board the Steve Irwin learned of the judgment they clapped and cheered, then tried to send a radio message to a fleet they had been shadowing for three days.
The Japanese failed to respond, so Captain Watson decided to send Mr Lane and Mr Potts to one of the ships, the Yushin Maru, to deliver a letter outlining the judgment and demanding that the whaling stop immediately.
First the sailors turned high-pressure hoses on them. And Captain Watson said that as soon as the two men boarded the ship by clambering up a ladder the Japanese set upon them.
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Illegal: Japanese whalers have been banned from hunting in Australian waters by a court judgment
"First of all they tried to throw Benjamin Potts overboard, but he managed to get his way out of that," he said.
"Then they assaulted Giles Lane. He seems to be in some pain.
"They tied him up with an incredible number of ropes. It looks like some kind of bondage movie. It's ridiculous."
There are concerns now for the safety of the two men in the freezing conditions.
In Tokyo last night, Makoto Ito, spokesman for the Japanese Whaling Association denied they had been tied to a mast.
"It is illegal to board another country's vessels on the high seas. As a result, at this stage, they are being held in custody while decisions are made on their future," he said.
"This is just propaganda by Sea Shepherd," he added. "I believe the two men are on the boat but we cannot give further details at this time.
"Sea Shepherd has been harassing our research vessels, but no one is bound to the mast of the Yushin Maru."
There are also concerns that more serious confrontations will occur in coming days when an Australian government vessel arrives in the area.
The converted cruise liner has a number of weapons on board - and environmentalists believe it will try to drive the Japanese out.
If true, it seems that they got quite a bargain.......
ARRRRRRR! Bein' tied up is mild, compared to what they did in th' good ol' days!
SAILOR: HOW ARE YOU OLD CHUM!!
SAILOR: ALL YOUR A** ARE BELONG TO US.
SAILOR: HA HA HA HA....
ARRRRRRR! Bein' tied up is mild, compared to what they did in th' good ol' days!
Indeed. And considering the rampant scourge of piracy these days not to mention terrorism, I'd have had zero troubles with lethal defensive measures if I had been the Japanese Captain. I'd say that he exercised amazing restraint.
I hope this image isn't blasphemous.
Sounds like the could be up for a Piracy charge.....
Korosuchae!
ok - this really cracked me up!
BWAHAHA!!!
It’s not irrelevant that the Japanese ship is there in violation of Australian law, and also flagrantly lying about the purpose of the mission (putting them in violation of International Whaling Commission rules). “Scientific research” — what a crock. They are slaughtering wildlife, some of it endangered, to sell to restaurants back home for money. I don’t recognize the right of sovereign nations to roam all over the globe wiping out any species they feel like wiping out.
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Are they whaling in Australian waters as recognized by treaty? If they are, this could create some tensions. GreenPeace has used these tactics for years, but the whalers have gotten pretty good at dealing with them.
If I had been Captain of that vessel, they wouldn't be alive to face charges. How was I to know that these were not violent terrorists? (which they apparently were)
I don't suppose these enviroweenies have ever heard of the USS Cole?
If you don't want to be treated like a terrorist, then don't act like one.
Fin and Minke whales are in no danger of extinction. There are plenty to go around.
If you can’t stand the thought of whales being eaten, come right out and say so.
Sounds like some familiar enviromaniacal tactics.
Leni
It seems they were vigilantes attempting to enforce Australian law. If the Aussies want their Antarctic territorial waters respected, they should enforce them themselves and not depend on Greenpeace wannabes to do so.
I’m not big on whaling, but in this particular case, I’m with the whalers. Ropes and acid? Act like an idiot, get treated like one.
The picture with the guy crying like a little baby is priceless.
“The sensational confrontation came hours after an Australian court banned Japan from whaling in its Antarctic waters. The ruling applies to a sanctuary declared by Australia in 2000 - which Japan does not recognise. “
Mine the waters! Perhaps then Japan will recognize Australia’s sovereignty.
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